PENSACOLA, Fla. ( WKRG ) — A new Pensacola ordinance makes camping on public property in the city illegal, but police don’t intend to hand out fines immediately.
“We will spend a couple weeks, sometimes a month, educating those that may be violating this to let them know the new law or ordinance is in the books,” said Mike Wood, public information officer with Pensacola PD.
Wood added that officers take names when they give out warnings.
“We’re going to start enforcing things if we know that they’ve been warned and are still violating, they are still camping in public spaces,” he added.
This new city ordinance came just weeks after a new state law took effect that bans sleeping in public.
Due to these new rules, Pensacola is looking to add temporary single-room shelters throughout the city starting Jan. 1.
Vincent Whibbs is the executive director of Re-Entry Alliance Pensacola, a program that helps the homeless transition from dependence to independence.